Pastoral Care

At Abbey College Manchester, the wellbeing of our students sits at the very centre of college life. We strive to create a caring, family-style environment where every young person feels safe, supported, and truly known. Our small, friendly community allows staff to build meaningful relationships with each student, taking the time to understand their individual personalities, needs, and aspirations. This personal connection helps us to guide and nurture them not only in their studies, but also in their personal growth and wellbeing. With a compassionate team of teachers and support staff working closely together, our students are encouraged to thrive with confidence, balance, and a genuine sense of belonging.

Heads of Year

Each yeargroup has a dedicated Head of Year and within the year groups students will have a personal tutor, Students will see their personal tutor every day and for a longer session once a week, and is the person they approach if they have anything they wish to discuss.

The Head of Year is the first line of communication for parents and they run assemblies and inter-house competitions for the students.

Students, Parents and Teachers Working Together

We believe that the team approach is highly successful in ensuring that students achieve their potential. Communications between Heads of Year, tutors and parents are integral to supporting the student’s progress through the course and onto the next stage of their education.

Supporting Challenges within Neurodiversity

We work with students to remove barriers that they may face day to day and explore how their individual neurodiversity impacts on their learning in an attempt to present workable solutions that students can gradually learn to employ themselves. This allows them greater confidence to address their difficulties independently. This approach also aims to raise self-esteem and allows students to confidently navigate their weaknesses in tests and exams. Our SENDCo and wellbeing team support the needs of students who may find some aspects of learning or college life challenging.

The Sendco works closely with teachers to ensure that individual student’s needs are met within the classroom. Our small class sizes allow for teachers and wellbeing staff to get to know students quickly, provide appropriate support, flag concerns and are a reassuring environment for many neurodivergent students.

Wellbeing

Abbey College Manchester takes a holistic approach to student wellbeing, recognising the importance of supporting both academic progress and personal health. Students have access to a dedicated Wellbeing Room where they can take time out whenever they need a quiet space to reset. The college also encourages healthy lifestyles, offering guidance on maintaining a positive work–life balance and highlighting the importance of regular exercise in promoting both physical and mental wellbeing.